Apparatus for purifying water for use in steam-boilers.



C. W. RICE.

APPARATUS FOR PURIPYING WATER FOR USE IN STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1911,

l ,035,8 1 3, Patented Aug. 13,1912.

2 BHEETB-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR MTM-:551;t u a v BY gym/2 ma, P gw@ A TTORNE Y G. W. RICE.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING WATER FOR USB IN STEAM BOILBRS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2s, 1911.

Patented Allg'. 13, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVE N TORy A TTORNE Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS W. RICE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FQR PURIFYING WATER FOR USE IN STEAM-BOIl'JIER Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

Original application iiled Hay 10, 1911, Serial No. 626,275. Divided and this application led September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYnUs RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the cityof Philadelphia, in the county of Ph1ladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Apparatus for Purif ing Water for Use in Steam-Boilers, of W ich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for the conduction of an intermittent system of purifying water primarily for use 1n steam boilers; the water being brought to such a condition as to be free from scale-forming and other deleterious impurities.

This application is a division ofan application Serial No. 626,275, filed by me under date of May 10th, 1911.

The purification of Water for the purposes set forth as Well as other uses of the same 1s mainly effected in a tank by chemical action occurring upon raw water by a solu- .'tion, composed of lime and soda caustic,

which solution is introduced into the tank with the raW Water at the start of filling. Purification is further aided by circulation of the treatedwater from near the top into the bottom of the tank and by aeration induced by such circulation of the Water.

The most universally used system for removing scale forming or similar deleterious matter from \vater to adapt it for use in boilers has been to employ a tank with paddles arranged so as to agitate the Water. This system in practical use concentrated its mechanical actions mainly upon t-he Water confined to near thebottom of the tank and thus in only a meager degree did such action effect liberation ofthe aforementioned ob jectionable foreign matter from the Water.

The principal objects of my present invention are first, to provide an eflicient apparatus, wherein the commingling of raw Water and its contained carbonio acid gas (CO2), with a double caustic Solution, of lime and soda, can be accomplished at about Where the raw Water is introduced into a tank so as to form with the caustic soda, new carbonates of soda in sufficient quantity for reducing the permanent hardness of the raw water, the caustic lime in t-he double caustic introduction completing the temporary hardness; second, to provide an apparatus in Serial lNo. 651,367.

which thorough mechanical action and complete chemical action of a double caustic, in solution, are had upon the raw water; third, to provide apparatus whereby the old precipltate, which has previously been agitated from the bottom of the tank, and the newly formed precipitate shall rapidly settle to the bottom of the tank; and fourth, to provide an etl'ective apparatus for removing from the treating tank precipitates such as organic matter, oil or other accumulations detrimental if used in steam boilers or for other purposes.

On account of the reaction of calcium carbonate (CaCO) and caustic soda (NaOH) resulting from the combined introduction of method not only simplifies the introductions,

but reduces to a minimum the errors of the addition of larger quantities of commercial lime usually of uncertain composition. In the paddle system so much in vogue the final treatment of soda ash is on filled tanks. In this circulating systcm,ra\v water from preferably a (centrifugal) pump is discharged against the center of an inverted coneshaped bottom of the tank and direct-ly into a mass of old precipitates, elements absolutely necessary to tbe proper clarification and 'separation of new chemical precipitates and foreign matter of the Water.

By the mode of circulations and induced air agita tions, permitted in conjunction with the double caustic treatment, far greater volumes of raw Water can be more thoroughly treated chemically and completely than in previously employed practical systems. In the double caustic method there is but one single chemical introduction into the pump discharge at the start of supplying raw Water to a treating tank. There is thus presented on the bottom of a treating tank and at the start of filling a strong solution of treating chemicals against which is discharged the raw Water from the pump and through which all the raw water must pass.

The raw Water discharge is continued in this manner until it overfiows over the top of each treating tank. The modeof filling is here changed to one of circulation. The

water is then drawn from the bottomof the.

and discharged then, centrally about the cone-shaped bottom 'of the tank. In the act of circulating water from the overflowv a vacuum is produced in' the circulating pipe. This vacuum in the circulating pipe is relieved automatically by the entrance of air through an aspirator located on the circulating pipe outside of 'a treating tank in about the same horizontal position, as the overflow.

The position of the vacuum and overfiow at a. height above the suction of theI ,pump is important for a properwentrairment of air with the circulating water and for the intimate commingling of the air with ,the circulating water. The water thus'treated due to air agitation and circulation undergoes complete chemical changes; and the latter being effected by the double caustic upon the water and which also in conjunction with the circulation of the water, aiding in the mechanical precipitation of such lforeign matter.

According to my invention, I provide an apparatus whereby the water forces the old precipitates tothe top of the tank, which latter .may be of variable height so as to permit the same to readilyoverflow into returning induced circulations of the tank to thus cause a more thorough intermingling of these old precipitates with the treating water in lgathering body and size prior -to final precipitation of such matter into the bottom of the tank and away from the settled water of such tank as well as hastening the settling of/ the thus treated water in delivery to filters for nal clarification.

ln conveying the settled water to the filters for clarification there is employed preferably a telescoping outlet pipe with counterweight and float for automatically regulating discharges of the settled water to the filters for final. clarification of the same. Before opening a tank of settled water through the iioating telescoping outlet pipe to a filter a cross-over pipe between the outlets of the floating outlet pipe in their connection to pipes running to the filters is opened from the treated water tank into another tank treating water to flush precipitates or foreign matter therefrom and that have gathered in the telescoping floating outlet pipe of the'treated tank, to thus prevent entrance of same into the filter to an extent to interfere with the subsequent clari-l iications of the water delivered thereto. The

l final filtration step is to clarify or remove suspended matter not previously removed in the settling tank, for ultimate utilization ent invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection withy the accompanyingl drawings forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1, is a sectional elevation of a 'pair of settling tanks and a filter with accessoriesthereof. Fig. 2, is a view in plan of the two settling tanks with their accessories and a cross-sectional view ofa filtering bed.

Fig. 3, is a side elevational view of one of the settling tanks and somev of the auxiliary ,apparatus. Fig. 4,-is a longitudinal sectional View of one of the series of filtering beds,

showing the outlet therefrom for the clari-` fied water to a boiler; and Fig. 5, is a per-- -spective view partly in section of the false bottom, comprising notched pipes with a central manifold to lead off water. y

Referring to the drawings A and A1, are two connected open top water settling tanks, each provided on the inside with an inclining bottom a, and 'with a central discharge pipe a1, which is connected to a sewer conduit a2.

a3, is a raw or contaminated water admission conduit having a stop-valve a?, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and beyond the said valve by means of a piping is provided a centrifugalpump a5.

as, is a piping from the centrifugal pump a5, provided with a stop-valve a?.

as, is a piping which is extended downwardly and terminates preferably in a footvalve a?, located centrally above the inclining bottom a. The piping as, extends into the tank A1, as it does. into the tank A, see

Fig. l. vllVhen the tank A, is in active servf ice, the `stop-valve al, `of the piping as, to the tank A1, is shut off. The piping al1, in the upper portion is provided witha vacuum valve al". This piping is designated as the circulating and agitating pipe line. This line all, is provided with a T-connection am, with which is connected a fiushing-valved pipe als, and a sewer-valved pipe als. The circulating and agitating pipe line al1, is

connected with the main water admission conduit as, to the rightofvthe stop-valve a4, as shown in Fig. 3. Cross circulating water pipes a, extend into both of the tanks A and A1, near the top-and, terminate in upturned -funnels a17 and als. The cross-circulating pipes al, are provided with stopvalves L20 and a, and a union connection al", connected with the vertical pipe line a, as shown in Fig. 1.

An open container for chemicals is provided with a water pipe b1, and a' branch steam pipe b2, from a steam supply pipe b3, having respectively stop-valves l2* and b5. Beneath the container b, vis arranged a delivery tank b, for receiving the `dissolved chemicals of the container b, through a pipe y vlike matter apartment of the filter A controlled cross-piping c, from the tank A, to the tank A1, is provided for fiushing the telescoping tubing 0 and 01, having stopvalves c1 and c. The piping er, conducts the purified water from either of the settlin tanks A or A1, to a distant filtering me ia bed or beds (l, wherein the Water is clarified prior to being discharged through a piping d, for use.

The piping c, by-elbow joints c1 and c1, in both tanks A and A1, is flexibly connected with the telescoping floatin outlet pipes c and c", having at one end o each a collar c1, with which 1s connected a chain 0, and float 01. The chain passes over pulleys 011, in a framing c11, arranged above the tanks and the opposite end of the chain carries a weight 011. The treated water in either tank A or A1, rising therein enables the float c1", to control the action of the flexibly jointed telescoping piping c" and (f1, in assuming its inclined vertlcal position, such as shown to the right in Fig. l, from the position it occupied when the tank was practically empty, as shown to the left in Fig. 1, and correspondingl the weight 011", is lowered as the water rlses in the tank A or A1, aided by the float 01, carried up with the increasing volume of water of such tank.

The filtering media bed (l, is provided at the top with a shallow trough d2, as shown .in Fig. 4, for the overflow of water thereinto and which may be connected with the sewer conduit (z2, as shown in Fig. 1, by a suitable pipe connect-ion, not shown. This bed (Z, may be arranged as shown in Fig. 4, having sand or other filtering matter placed on a Wire grating d1. Beneath the same is arranged coarser matter, as gravel or other filtering media d1, and on the bottom of the bed is arranged a false bottom, composed of notched-piping d1, covering the entire area of the bed d, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The piping d, is connected with a central manifold d5, having a vertical piping d, and valve branches d1., al and d, for respectively, back-flushing the filter d; leading ofi clarified water to a common suction for a boiler, not shown; and for admitting air into the filter, as desired, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The treated and settled water from the tanks A and A1, is first led by way of the pipe line c3, into the box d10, provided in the sand or From the box d1", it passes over the layer of filtering sand of the filter cl, and is then drawn by the action of the boiler feed pump, not shown, through first the filtering sand and then through the coarser matter of the filter d, the notched piping (i12, and manifold d1,

l into a suction pipe (Z8, and thence to the the description has been confined to but one. The filtering-bed d, may be a series of such beds suitably connected for final clarification of the purified Water, which has been freed of scale forming properties.

The raw water is introduced through the pipe as, by the action of the pump (L11. At the start of introducing the water into the tank A or A1, chemicals. are forced by either air or steam pressure from the chemical delivery tank 6,11, through the line 611, into the centrifugal pump discharge as. When the tank A or A1, is filled with treated water to t-he overflow of funnel a1 or a, the valve a* on the raw water supply a3, is closed and the valve on the circulating pipe (111, of the tank treating either L10 or a1, is opened and the caustic treated water is circulated by the action of the centrifugal pump (l1, through the said overflow circulating pipe (L11. and pump d1scharge'a11, into the cone-shaped bottom a, of the tank A or A1. During the circulation of said water the vacuum created by such circulation is relieved by the entrance of air through the aspirator a1". This intermingling of the air with the circulating water and their combined introduction at the bottom into the mass of sludge and precipitate, produces a mechanical and chemical action on the water which completely precipitates foreign matter as well as scale forming elements from the water treated.

The floating telescoping outlet pipe c8 or c1, is extended by the increasing volume of Water in the tank A or A1, into an inclined position as shown to the right in Fig. 1, and therewith the float (1,10, rises to the top of the body of water and in which position of the said pipe the treated water when in a settled state is drained ofi' into the filter d. It will be understood that the pump (1,5, will have previously been shut off and also that the stop-valves a1, to the pipes a and as. and the water thus thoroughly aerated and previously under agitation is then allowed for a certain period of time to settle with scale forming elements of the water to sink into the inclined bottom a, of the tank A or A1. At thesame time any scum upon the body of water on the upper part' of the tank is discharged through the funnel a",

.and piping a1 and (L11, and stopvalve a1, connected by piping to the sewer (z2, with of course the stop-valve (L11, and fiushing valve (x13, being closed.`

When a tank is nearly empty any over accumulations of precipitates on the bottom a, are flushed into the sewer-pipe a2, through the valve a1, connected therewith. Cleaning of the tank is effected by a supply of Water under pressure through the valve a, when the valve a1, has been closed. The water passing through the circulating pipes (L11 and a1, and over the side of the funnel (L11, and falling from this height into the accumulations in the bottom a, are'thus agitated and flushed into the sewer pipe a2.

The filter beds d, as arranged and clearly shown in Fig. 4, can be effectively maintained in a cleanly condition as required, by the system of pipes provided for back flushing and aeration of the same when necessary, and as more fully shown in Fig. 5.

The advantages of introducing the double caustic solution at about the point of discharge of the raw water into the treating tank or its state of increasingvolume in the tank insures a much more thorough commingling of the treating chemicals in conm cent-rated solution with the raw water introductions thus enabling early formation of new carbonates of soda by the combination of carbonio acid gas (CO2), in the raw water with the caustic soda of the chemical treating caustic. Theseearly formations of new soda carbonates provide a reagent for the rapid precipitation of calcium sulfate, one of the causes of permanent hardness in raw water, as calciumv carbonate. The value of soda carbonate in combination with caustic llime in a system involving circulation and chemical and mechanical activity and inwhich soda ash of commerce and lime are used as the water softening agents. In the l 1.08am

described system no indications of late chemical reaction appear and no deposits of precipitate beyond the settling -tanks as in the soda ash treatments of less intensity in which pipes leading the treated water from the filters are frequently heavil 'coated and almost closed with deposits o precipitate. This particularly is the case around hot water heaters and boilers. As `most Water supplies for these purposes are of moderate temperature the chemical action of soda-ash on calcium'sulfate has usually been sluggish.

Havin thus described the nature and objects o my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureiby Letters Patent is In an apparatus of the character described, treating and settling tanks, a pump and pipe connections to each of said tanks, controllable telescoping `outlet pipes in said tanks having 'a controllable cross-over pipe from one tank to the other in connection withy 'said telescoping pipes, and alcirculating pipe having sewer connections for surface discharges.

-ln witness whereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesseshereto.

I CYRUS' W. RICE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS M. SMITH, J. WALTER DoUGLAss. 

